Revelations
by FanOfEverything100
Summary: Another school year, another batch of pestilential first years. Or so Professor Snape thought. Along with Harry Potter's arrival came renewed pain and sorrow. But another student seems determined to get on his good side. A story of healing in the canon world of HP NO CREEPINESS .
1. All We Are

_Summary: Another school year, another batch of pestilential first years. Or so Professor Snape thought. Along with Harry Potter's arrival came renewed pain and sorrow. But another student seems determined to get on his good side. A story of healing in the canon world of HP (NO CREEPINESS). _

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**A/n – I wrote this fic after listening to a description of Snape (read by Stephen Fry *sigh*) in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I wanted to write something in his memory. I intend this to take place in the canon world of HP and will begin a year before Harry arrives at Hogwarts, but please feel free to point out any discrepancies (except for who has classes with who – you can't have over 1000 students at Hogwarts and only one class of first year Slytherins and Gryffindors, sorry Jo!). Enjoy! P.S. Iphigeneia is pronounced (ef-i-gen-eye-a). **

**XxXxX**

_Revelations_

_Chapter 1 – All We Are_

**XxXxX**

Severus Snape swept across his classroom – performing last minute checks and preparations before the new batch of no doubt idiotic first-years would practically destroy it. He grimaced as he recalled last year's first class – it had become painfully apparent that Fred and George Weasley were set to be the tiresome troublemakers of Hogwarts. Snape had never remembered taking so many house points from two students alone. He defied even the infamous toerag Potter and his crude partner Black to match the twins in troublemaking. But then again, he thought, Fred and George never tortured students for fun.

He sighed as he heard the steps and excited murmurings of the first year Ravenclaws and Slytherins – better them than mixing Gryffindor and Slytherin. What persuaded the Headmaster that mixing those two houses – entwined as they were in fierce house competition and mutual longstanding dislike – was a good idea in any sense of the word, was a concept beyond his understanding entirely. He strode across to the door, robes billowing out behind him, and opened it.

'Come in,' he said in his cold voice. He saw a mix of confident Slytherin faces turn gleeful and a smattering of eager faces of what he knew to be muggleborns – from long experience – look slightly nervous. He almost felt bad for scaring them out of enthusiasm for his subject.

Almost.

He watched them file past, some chattering eagerly, others whispering quietly, clearly asking their fellow classmates what kind of teacher he was.

'Quiet down class, quiet down,' he said and took out a roll of parchment to take attendance, 'Abster?'

'Here.'

All went reasonably well until he reached the name Kensington. He called it out several times.

'Iphigenia Kensington!' he called, very annoyed. There were a few giggles at the name.

'Oh! Here, sir!' called a voice from the back of the class.

Severus looked up to see a girl with dark brown hair and disturbingly blue eyes. She seemed to look right through him, anxious as she was and he was suddenly reminded of Dumbledore's piercing gaze.

'Well Miss Kensington,' he drawled, 'would you care to explain why you were not paying attention in my class?'

'Um, I'd rather not if that's okay sir.'

The class took a collective intake of breath, the Slytherins initially shocked but then smiled; obviously expecting a show and the Ravenclaws looked wary.

'I'd rather you did. You see this is my class and I do not sit here for my own amusement. What were you doing that was so frightfully interesting that you could not sit and pay attention?' he replied, not in a mood to be tested, he could see this one was going to be difficult.

'I… I was drawing sir…' she said, looking slightly nervous now.

'Really?' he said, 'would you care to bring it to me so I can share it with the class?'

'It's really not very good sir…' she said, quietly.

'I can assure you, the quality does not interest me in the slightest, bring it here now or I shall take twenty points from Ravenclaw.'

The girl got up from her bench with a piece of parchment in her hand and moved her way up to the front of the class with surprising grace for an eleven-year-old. With trembling hands she placed the drawing on his desk. Snape offered it a cursory glance and found himself doing a double take.

The man in the picture had long black hair falling to his shoulders, a hooked nose and a frown upon his face. He was perusing some papers on a desk with a candle burning in front of him, the clock drawn on the wall read midnight. The girl had lied, it was very good.

'It's uh – you sir. You have an interesting face to draw you know.'

Severus was temporarily speechless, then shaking himself slightly, regained his composure. For a moment, he was drawn back to his own school days and one dreadful summer holiday…

_Hey Snivellus! What's this? A diary!_

_Give it back Potter!_

_No it's a sketchbook, hey, is this Evans?_

_I'm warning you!_

The curse he had fired at James had caused him to be in the Hospital Wing for two days and earned him a weeks' worth of detentions. James had never stopped teasing him about it if he got the chance. He looked at the girls face again – Iphigenia, heavens what a name – she seemed quite calm under the circumstances.

'Five points from Ravenclaw for not paying attention in my classroom. Now get back to your desk or it will be ten.' There was some grumbling from the Ravenclaws.

She looked at him calmly and then smiled, 'Okay that seems fair enough.'

'Excuse me?' said Snape, astonished at her attitude.

'Well I'm just letting you know I think it's a just reason to take away points I promise I won't do it again sir.' She said, still smiling.

Snape looked at her icily, 'Are you making fun of me?'

'No sir!' she said, the smile disappearing from her face.

'Not only have you disrupted my class – and on your first day I need not add – but you have also decided that making fun of punishment is your favourite form of entertainment. Detention. Tonight. My office.' He smirked, expecting her to complain or at the very least get upset.

To his great surprise she looked sympathetic, sighed and went back to her bench. Slightly nonplussed, Snape launched into his 'first-class-of-the-year' monologue and gave them instructions on a Boil Making Potion. But all the while he couldn't help noticing a pair of sad but penetrating icy blue eyes watching him.

**XxXxX**

'Come in,' said Snape as someone knocked at his door and Iphigenia walked in, looking somewhat tired. He knew how she felt, only tenfold. Two students had grown spectacular boils in his classes and a klutzy fifth-year managed to spill powdered Doxy's all over the floor and into the air causing an asthma attack and Snape having to clean it up himself. He considered saving it for detention but decided that that was a little too cruel and difficult, even for him. He therefore fell back on his traditional punishment of writing lines.

Iphigenia appeared to have noticed this and looked slightly relieved, clearly someone had been scaring her with horror story of Snape's many and varied detention methods.

'What will I be writing sir?' she asked as she sat down at the desk.

'You will write _I will not disrupt class again_ a hundred and fifty times, Miss Kensington,' he hesitated, secretly itching to ask her a question. Luckily for him, she seemed to know what he wanted to ask.

'My mother is Greek and liked the idea of an innocent Greek name of a fair maiden; although I don't think she read the whole of the Iliad when she named me. Everyone calls me Genie though.'

'Who was Iphigenia in the Iliad?' Snape asked, the question tumbling out before he could stop himself. Damn.

Genie (as we will now call her) smiled, 'Well Menelaus and Agamemnon had all the ships ready to sail to Troy but the wind would not blow in their favour. They asked Calchas, the seer, why it wouldn't change. He said that Agamemnon had offended the goddess Artemis and she wanted his youngest daughter – Iphigenia – as a human sacrifice.'

Snape would never admit it but he was interested now and leant forward slightly, Genie noticed this and went on with gusto.

'Well, he knew his wife Clytemnestra would never allow her to be killed. She was her favourite. So he sent a message saying that she was betrothed to the great warrior Achilles. However he had a change of heart and tried to send another message telling her to stay away but Menelaus intercepted it and the plan continued.'

She looked at Snape with those blue eyes and looked rather sorrowful.

'When Iphigenia and her mother arrived however, they accidentally ran into Achilles who had no idea of the plan that was hatched – incidentally by Odysseus, the man who brought us the wooden horse - anyway Achilles mad it pretty clear he wasn't marrying the poor girl. They found out the real plan and after a lot of wailing and moaning, she agrees to be sacrificed, God knows why. But instead of dying, the goddess whisked her away to Taurus to be a priestess and left a deer in her place.

'Everyone was pretty happy with this except her mother, Clytemnestra. She was angry for all the years of the war and when her husband returned home, she and her lover murdered him when he brought home a new wife. But she in turn was murdered by her two other children who were punished by the goddess Athena for their crime.'

She finished her story with apparent relish and looked up at Snape, her eyes gleaming.

'An interesting story,' he said in what he tried to make an offhand tone, 'but I will continue to call you Miss Kensington, whatever the origins of your name. Now, to your lines.'

She turned to the parchment on the desk, picked up the quill and began to write, painstakingly and carefully. Snape continued to read through the papers on his desk. Just as he was deciding whether or not moonstone essays were too easy for sixth-years, he came across Genies drawing from this morning. It occurred to him that her picture was very much like what he was doing now, candle and all. He suppressed a smile, which felt very foreign on his face. He didn't know the last time he has smiled out of warmth instead of coldness.

Suddenly, it came to his attention that Genie was seemingly struggling with her lines. He stood up and made as if the check something on one of the shelves across from her. He glanced at her lines and realized she hadn't even finished the first one, he checked the clock, he wasn't going mad; it had been a good five minutes.

'Is there a problem, Miss Kensington?' he asked.

'No professor, not at all.' She replied, and he was a little surprised to see a slight flush develop under her pale cheeks as if embarrassed by something.

'I am telling you now, I do not intend to remain here all night, if you cannot write one line in five minutes then there is clearly a problem.' He said impatiently.

Genie put down the quill, paused for a moment as if steeling herself to say something and then mumbled, 'I'm dyslexic.'

'Dyslexic?' said Snape, genuinely puzzled. He hadn't heard of such a thing, was she making fun of him again?

'It's a disability, it affects your reading and writing,' she said, still mumbling.

'You appeared to perform perfectly well in my class today; you seem to be able to read the instructions.' He said, not quite knowing what to make of it.

Her eyes flashed at him and he knew he had said the wrong thing.

'I'm not making it up you know! Simple instructions I can read; its long essays and complicated books I struggle with. At home I had a computer with a spellcheck so it didn't matter so much but muggle electronics don't work here…' her voice died.

Snape appraised her for a moment. He knew he was harsh on his students, but life was harsh and he was preparing them for the cruel reality of a bitter world. A world that had sucked all the happiness out of his life. But there were few grown people in the real world that wouldn't accommodate someone with a disability. He had a sudden brainwave.

He strode over to a cupboard where he kept a few personal items – some flowers, a bag of herbal tea, several books, a few photographs and an old typewriter. He levitated the typewriter from the cupboard to the desk on top of the parchment and Genie's botched attempt at lines.

'I don't mind the spelling errors,' he said, trying again not to smile at the look of astonishment on her face, 'but I believe this will make it easier for you to write in the long term, you may take it with you and use it for your schoolwork, but if you damage it there will be serious consequences. And remember to bring it back before the holidays.'

'Professor I…'

'We'll make it a hundred lines tonight, and then you may go.' He said, cutting her off, he didn't want her to think he was being kind.

She began to type with enthusiasm. He spelling was still atrocious but that could be fixed with a simple spell, he thought. He couldn't believe that he, Severus Snape, was helping a student. He cursed softly under his breath, maybe he was getting soft.

At quarter past ten, she had finally finished and handed the lines to Snape.

'Very good, you may go.' He said shortly, but she did not move.

'Who was she?' she asked, her eyes once more cleaving into his.

'What?' he asked, slightly off guard.

'The girl who gave you the typewriter,' she indicated to the inscription on the typewriter which was tucked under her arm; _To Severus, happy birthday!_

'An old school friend,' he replied, not wanting to spill his soul to an eleven-year-old child and at the same time desperately wanting to tell her everything.

'Was her name Lily?' she asked.

'Yes…' he replied shocked, 'how did you…?'

'Because it smells of lilies, it's a very clever charm. It's a lot lighter than it ought to be as well. Where is she now?'

Snape swallowed, 'Dead now. Killed by the Dark Lord; her and her husband.' He wanted her to leave now.

'Oh…' she said, sadness spreading across her face, 'I'm sorry, but that does explain it…'

'Explain what?' he demanded, starting to get irate as was his natural defence in the face of kindness.

'You,' she said simply, 'no one in the world becomes a bully without being sad inside.' And with those words she smiled at him sadly and departed.

Snape sat very still for almost a minute, and then moved across back to the open cupboard and picked up the bag of herbal tea. Perhaps it was time for a cup. And some time to reflect on the wisdom and insight a mere eleven-year-old girl could have.

**XxXxX**

The next day Severus awoke much earlier than usual. Looking over at his bedside table he saw the empty teacup and the nights events rolled back to him slowly but surely. He sat up in his bed and picked up the old alarm clock he had always used since boyhood. 5:30am, damn it was early, even for a school day. He decided that as long as he was awake he might as well get up.

Twenty minutes later, he looked like his normal – admittedly overgrown-bat – self. Looking through his lessons for the day he once more saw the picture Genie had drawn and her awful attempt at writing lines. He began to think, did other teachers know about her condition? She seemed very embarrassed to talk about it and somehow he did not think it would be fair if she got into trouble for it. Although he was mystified as to why she could tell him, he couldn't imagine someone like Minerva being as understanding, due to her lack of overall contact with muggles.

He sighed, there was only one thing to do; he had to go to Dumbledore about the girl. Perhaps he could alert the staff. The last thing he wanted was for it to appear that he cared about the child's wellbeing. Which of course he didn't.

He swept off down the dungeon corridor, knowing Dumbledore would be awake by now – the Headmaster liked to rise with this sun. He passed a few sleepy students on the staircases on their way to the Great Hall for an early breakfast. All of them moved quickly out of his way when they saw him coming. Was he really this disliked? He thought to himself. In contrast to the kindness and understanding he had received last night, the repellent treatment now was nothing short of horrible.

It was therefore with relief that he reached Dumbledore's office, 'Aniseed Balls,' he said to the gargoyle that sprang aside. He vaguely wondered why the Headmaster chose such eccentric passwords to do with muggle sweets.

He knocked on the door to Dumbledore's office, 'Come in,' said the voice from within.

Snape entered, 'Ah, Severus,' said Dumbledore with a surprised smile and indicating the chair in front of him, 'to what do I owe the pleasure?'

'I am sorry to disturb you at this hour Headmaster…'

'Severus you know very well that I have been awake for hours, it must be important if you find procrastination via pleasantries necessary,' his blue eyes twinkled and Snape was reminded of Genie.

'Headmaster I wish to talk to you about one of the first-year Ravenclaws, Iphigenia Kensington.' He said, slightly too fast.

'Ah, yes the girl with the unusual name. I will privately tell you that watching Pomona try to pronounce it in the staffroom was highly amusing, Fillius had to correct her which she did not take kindly to…'

'Headmaster can we set aside the adventures of the more eccentric of our numbers?'

'I apologize Severus, do go on, is the girl misbehaving? I was under the impression that she was rather an outcast poor girl.'

_An outcast?_ Snape thought, perhaps they had more in common than he initially thought. 'No nothing like that Headmaster, she did disrupt my class earlier and I gave her detention but that is not the problem. I gave her lines but I noticed after some time that she was struggling with the words. After questioning her she revealed she had a disability called… dyslexia, I think?'

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, 'I was not aware of that, but then again my meeting with her father did not inspire much confidence in me that he was concerned about his daughter's education – a drinker I gather. He seemed to be happy to get rid of her, a terrible shame, she is a sweet child.'

Snape paused to take this new information in, 'Well Headmaster I think it only prudent that the staff be informed, I gave her a typewriter so her writing is at least legible to teachers but –'

'You gave her _your_ typewriter Severus? The one Lily gave you?' said Dumbledore, truly surprised now. Snape cursed the Headmaster's long memory.

'That is beside the point Headmaster, I was merely suggesting that you inform the staff of her learning difficulty.' He said through gritted teeth.

'_I_ should Severus? Why not you?' he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Snape glowered at him, Dumbledore knew perfectly well why he wasn't comfortable informing the other staff.

Dumbledore sighed, 'You are ever-determined that no one should ever see any goodness in you Severus. I will inform the staff, of course and we will make exceptions for the girl. But I will ask you, what would Lily want you to have become?'

Snape said nothing but swept out of the office.

**XxXxX**

_All We Are – Matt Nathanson_

**XxXxX**

**A/n – I hope you enjoyed that! I tried so hard to keep Snape in character. It was hard writing him believe you me. But there you are.**

Always eat your drugs and don't do vegetables.

**FanOfEverything100  
xxx**

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	2. Some Nights

**A/n – Not much from me here really! Enjoy Chapter 2! P.S. E-cookies to whoever can tell me where 'Lannister' is from! **

**XxXxX**

_Revelations_

_Chapter 2 – Some Nights_

**XxXxX**

The rest of the school week after his detention with Genie passed smoothly according to Snape – well as smoothly as things can go at Hogwarts. The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lannister, seemed to be fitting in at Hogwarts although both Snape and the other members of staff felt slightly uneasy around him and tended to make excuses to visit his classroom during lessons in an unspoken agreement between the veteran staff members that he was not quite trustworthy around the students. They seemed to think Snape's usual hatred of the DADA teachers was, in this case, entirely reasonable, if a little excessive.

Although Genie had not caused any more trouble in his class, Snape couldn't help keeping a close eye on her and her progress. From what he could gather she was a bright girl with an aptitude for both Potions and Transfiguration, two subjects he had to admit, were the more tricky ones at Hogwarts, even for first years. He also discovered however, that Dumbledore's words had been true and that she was an outcast and not generally liked by her peers.

The rest of the staff had wondered at this. To them a bright, sweet girl like her had no reason to be disliked. But Snape understood – some people just gave off a distinct aura of difference and no amount of sweetness will stop children bullying another child. For this reason he maintained a civility towards her in class, which was hard with a reputation to uphold!

Yes all had been quiet at Hogwarts until the first Saturday of the school term. Although it was only September, it was particularly cold that day. This could only mean trouble for the teachers – weekends were usually a time where the students got out to the grounds and exerted their pent-up energy from the week. However they were now all forced to the warmth of the castle and to far closer confinements than was healthy. Snape later attributed this to the scene he came across when walking from the staffroom.

He had realized that he'd forgotten his gloves when he heard a cry and some laughter.

'Get her!'

'Hold her head down!'

'Look at her, she's _crying_, what a baby!'

He swept down the hall, cursing under his breath. What he came across he wouldn't forget for some time. Two first-year Slytherins girls were holding Genie to the floor; one had her foot on her head. Another girl seemed to have been kicking her but stopped dead when she saw Snape. He was livid.

'What do you think you are doing?!' he yelled at them and they scattered. He recognized them however – Selwyn, Montgomery and Castor, pure-blood families he had seen at Lucius Malfoy's occasional balls.

He turned his attention quickly to Genie lying on the floor and he felt his heart sink in sympathy, her nose was bleeding, one of her sleeves was torn and he could see a black eye beginning to bloom on her face.

He knelt beside her, 'Miss Kensington, are you able to stand? Can you move?'

'Yes…' she said weakly, 'yes I'm fine Professor.'

'I will escort you to the Hospital Wing at once,' he said, helping her to her feet, trying not to show any undue concern.

'Oh… no Professor, I'll just clean up in the bathroom, I'll be fine.' She said hurriedly.

Snape appraised her for a moment, she was shaking, 'You need to see Madam Pomfrey, no arguments, come along now.'

Looking although it was against her better judgement, Genie followed Snape as he walked her towards the Hospital Wing. She was very quiet and didn't seem to be able to look at him. Snape hoped this was not the result of concussion and wondered if he should conjure a stretcher for her. But she seemed to be a tough little thing and walked on.

The silence between them was finally broken when Genie said, 'I'm really fine you know professor, I could just go to my dorm…'

'You will do no such thing,' he replied, 'as a teacher, it is my duty to take you to Madam Pomfrey and then report the incident and punish those girls.'

'Punish them?!' she said, with a horrified look on her face, 'but… but that'll make it worse! Professor you can't…'

'It is not a question of what you want, it is a question of what I am obliged to do.' He replied, slightly testier than he had meant to be.

She fell silent and Snape somehow got the feeling that the word 'obliged' had hurt her somehow. There was silence until they reached the Hospital Wing and Genie was enveloped in the full force of Madam Pomfrey's love and care. She tutted over the black eye and cleaned up the blood from her nose.

'Now you stay in bed until Professor Flitwick gets here, three students on one! If Professor Snape hadn't been there… you were very lucky Miss Kensington.' Said Madam Pomfrey; firmly tucking Genie up in bed and placing a glass of water and a potion for pain next to her bed before bustling away into her office.

Snape had not left; he did not want to leave her alone after what had just happened. To both of their surprises, he pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat there awkwardly for a few seconds.

'Thank you,' said Genie into the silence.

'I did what any teacher would have done,' he said stiffly, he was feeling distinctly out of his comfort zone.

'Not for rescuing me,' she said, 'for being kind.' She smiled at him.

To this he had no reply. No one had thanked him for kindness, not since he and Lily had been small children.

'But you know I'm really used to it sir, I've had far worse…'

'Other students?'

'Oh no, that was the first violence I've experienced here. No I mean my father, not much of a one for modern parenting. He prefers a more medieval approach.' She gave a wry smile.

Snape couldn't say anything, his own father hadn't been ideal but he never laid a hand on him or his mother. He couldn't imagine why she was telling him all this but he didn't stop her, on the contrary, he asked her a question.

'Where is your mother?'

'I can honestly say I have no idea,' she replied, a little bitterly, 'she could be a witch for all I know. Cleared off when I was quite young, I don't remember her.'

'Torrid affairs with muggle men are not uncommon among the pureblood families,' said Snape, 'a little rebellion against the machine, if you will.' For a moment, he was afraid that he had offended her, but she laughed a soft tinkling laugh.

'Good Lord Professor, I could be a Malfoy!'

'That is an alternative I don't think you'd find attractive, they are no more kind to their offspring,' he thought briefly of Narcissa however, 'but there are exceptions to every rule.'

'A kind Malfoy?'

'Now let's not stretch ourselves here…'

They both laughed and Snape registered how much of a foreign feeling it was and quickly resumed his haughty stance, but it was too late, Genie had clearly recognized a chink in his persona that he put up tirelessly every day. He would never admit it, but it felt wonderful to have someone chip through his armour just to relax and laugh, but he mustn't allow too much, that would be fatal.

'How are you doing with writing?' he asked, an educational question was not totally abhorrent.

'Much better than I thought I would thanks to your typewriter, and all my teachers seem to mysteriously know of my, um, problem.' She smiled, 'I'll assume that was your doing but we'll say no more about it.'

He marvelled at how well she understood his need for maintaining his appearance.

'Reading is still a bit hard but I get extra time. I know what all the words mean, but reading them quickly is a bit more of a problem. That's why I like potions and transfiguration. More practical.'

'You wait until Minerva gets to essay writing, you'll never know what hit you.' He said with a shake of his head, but it was in jest.

'Oh but you'll help me, won't you Professor?' she said, in a voice that suggested she thought the likelihood of that occurring was the same as the bedpan doing a salsa.

'If you require extra assistance, I would be available at eight o'clock on Thursday nights.' He usually saved that time for sketching, but he thought he could give up this small luxury to help her.

The look on her face of pure shock and disbelief almost made Snape smile again. But it was soon replaced by a wan smile, although those piercing blue eyes (despite the presence of a rapidly spreading bruise) were still searching his brain. Or at least that's how it felt.

Luckily for him, Professor Flitwick chose that moment to appear with Dumbledore who looked extremely grave. Both looked surprised to see Snape sitting next to Genie. He stood up abruptly, gave a curt nod to the other teachers and swept out of the Hospital Wing.

**XxXxX**

That night after dinner, all the staff congregated in the staffroom for their traditional meeting and last drink before departing for bed. Dumbledore coughed softly and all the teachers turned their attention to him.

'Due to the cold weather, we have had a few incidents with bored and het-up students. I would urge all members of staff to keep an extra eye out for misbehaviour. We have already had a serious altercation involving Iphigenia Kensington.'

'Genie,' said Snape automatically and everyone turned to stare at him.

'Pardon, Severus?' said Dumbledore looking somewhat amused. Damn and blast the old fool.

'That… that is what she prefers to be called. And who can blame her with a name like that?'

Everyone looked slightly nonplussed and Snape put his most haughty look on his face that fooled no one.

'Well, yes. Anyway the girl was set upon but three Slytherins who Severus has punished most severely. I think this may be his best yet – cleaning Hippogriff manure from the paddock for a week.' Everyone wrinkled their noses.

'But we have a more serious matter to do with Miss Kensington,' the headmaster continued, 'When Madam Pomfrey looked her over at the Hospital Wing, she found multiple bruises and cuts more than a week old, apparently inflicted by the girl's father.'

All the staff looked very grave, Flitwick shook his head sadly and McGonagall looked furious.

'While I'm sure we have more than one student going through this kind of abuse, I would ask you all that you take extra consideration. Treat her like any other student but be aware.'

'Were they serious bruises?' asked Snape before he could stop himself.

'Yes I'm afraid they were, Severus,' said Dumbledore, 'I fear some were inflicted with a belt. It is such a pity…'

'Can't we do something about it?' he asked, cursing himself once more.

'We cannot control the actions of the parents,' said Dumbledore heavily, 'I wish we could but it is simply not possible.' He turned his own pair of blue eyes on Snape, 'why do you ask Severus? Is it possible that you have taken an interest in a student's education and wellbeing? I understand you volunteered to assist her with her reading.'

Snape cursed Madam Pomfrey's sonic hearing for he doubted that Genie had told her. When he left the staffroom that night, his colleagues looked at him with slight confusion. All but McGonagall and Dumbledore, who seemed, for once, to understand.

**XxXxX**

It was not without some trepidation that Snape opened to door to Genie at eight o'clock the following Thursday after the staff meeting. However he could see his own feelings reflected in her face.

'To the desk, Miss Kensington, I thought we would begin with some reading.' He said, as coldly as he could muster. He reflected, not for the first time in her presence, how tiresome it was to keep up his demeanour in front of her all the time.

She sat down at the desk and eyed the book warily – _Hogwarts a History_ – he thought the book might be interesting for her, given her muggle background. And sure enough she picked it up with some interest.

'I want you to read the first chapter out loud,' he said, sitting at his own desk, 'if you struggle with a word, I will assist you in sounding it out; you may begin.' He said all this rather sharply, but she didn't seem to care.

'Chapter One: The Founders of Hogwarts,' she began, 'The exact date of the founding of Hogwarts has been argued over by many historians, however it can be concluded that it was approximately four-hundred years ago. This is by no means the oldest magical school in history, the founders…'

Genie carried on in this manner for some time, stumbling occasionally over the longer words and names. Severus assisted her in his cold voice but otherwise was not too harsh on her. He found her reading extraordinarily soothing, listening was something that did not require his charade of indifference. Finally, he checked the clock; quarter to nine. Her curfew would be over soon.

'That will be enough for this evening Miss Kensington,' he said, as she paused to catch her breath.

'How did I do?' she asked, a little nervously.

'Well, there is definitely room for improvement.'

'That bad huh?'

He allowed a small smile to crack across his face, it was becoming easier.

'Well there's no point in learning if there's nothing to learn.' She said, smiling back, 'I appreciate this Professor.'

'I-I am glad, to be of some help.' He replied, struggling to get the words out, 'but,' he said quickly, 'I wish to ask you a question.'

Genie's smile faltered, she obviously did not like being asked questions and her blue eyes looked down at the floor, 'I don't know, depends on what it is Professor.'

'How about a… a compromise then?' he said and she looked up with surprise written all over her face, 'I ask you a question, and you may ask me one.' Did he just say that? He felt shocked at his own suggestion, but it seemed to have her attention.

'Very well Professor, I won't lie to you, although I have a feeling you'd know if I was.'

Snape hesitated for a moment, then asked, 'Miss Kensington, how long has your father been hurting you?'

Her ice-blue eyes met his black ones and a lifetime of pain seemed to live behind her eyes, 'for as long as I can remember, never needed much of a reason to. Blamed me for my mother running off I suspect.'

'It's not… right.' He said, his voice attempting to break out of its cold monotone.

Anger suddenly flashed in her eyes that he did not expect to see, 'And do you think,' she said, her voice shaking slightly, 'that the way you bully these students is 'right'? You may not beat them professor,' she gathered up her things as she spoke, 'but there are other ways of hurting people.' And with that, she stalked out of classroom.

Snape sat there in shock for a few moments before rising from his chair. He swept into his bedchambers silently. After he had changed into his nightshirt, he went to wash his face in the basin.

As he looked up into the mirror, he saw reflected in his own eyes, the pain he had seen that night in Genies own face.

**XxXxX**

_Some Nights – fun._

**XxXxX**

**Sorry for the very long update waiting time! Writing is something I do when I'm sick or I feel like it, exams are on atm as well. Again, sorry for the lateness!  
Keep it up!  
FanOfEverything100**

**xoxo**


	3. One Headlight

**A/n – Started writing this 9/11/12, no, not 9/11 American, I come from Australia and we do things the normal way, DAY FIRST. Also watching Aladin, Robin Williams is hilarious. Someone PM'd me to ask what was with the chapter titles and it's basically songs I feel fit in to the chapter. The lyrics might not reflect it but some have personal meaning. Apart from that, enjoy! **

**XxXxX**

_Revelations_

_Chapter 3 – One Headlight_

**XxXxX**

Another few weeks flew past, September turned into October and the weather grew colder. Genie and Snape continued their lessons every week but she never deviated a word from 'good evening Professor' and the words set out in the text Snape set for her. She was quiet in class, did her work and was a polite, engaging student.

However, some of the staff had commented that the girl was unusually perceptive, something that seemed to put the other students off her in general. She had no problems with directly speaking her mind and Snape swore he heard Professor Sprout mutter something about 'probably related to a bloody Lovegood' after a particularly acidic incident where Genie had apparently pointed out some inconsistencies in the health and safety aspects of her class.

As those weeks went by, Snape began to reflect on the fact that perhaps he was not the only person at Hogwarts trying to maintain a façade. Genie was nothing like the other children, she had a quiet dignity and grace about her that was certainly unusual for an eleven-year-old child and reminded Severus disturbingly of Narcissa, or perhaps Andromeda, and wondered if there was anything to his theory of a pureblood mother.

But aside from that, she showed no pain and no fear from the other children bullying her. And bully they did until he suspected that even some of the Ravenclaws were shunning her. She did have, not exactly friends, but a group she spent time with. He did not see her laugh, he barely saw her talk. It was downright unnatural in his eyes.

Sometimes he was irritated in taking particular notice of her, and the occasional jibe from some of the staff members about his 'going soft' in reference to his weekly classes with her, didn't make it any easier. But he felt, a sort of loneliness now that she wasn't talking to him as she once did. It was only to everyone else that he had to put up a cold front, he did not have to lie to himself.

So one Thursday evening towards the end of October, he finally decided to speak up. Genie had finished reading a passage from _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_; as she got up to to leave, he spoke to her.

'Miss Kensington, sit for a moment longer.' She looked at him expressionlessly, 'please.' He said with a grimace as if the word was particularly difficult to get out.

She sat back down in front of him, looking a little apprehensive. Snape took in a breath, 'Miss Kensington, I believe we may have… gotten off on the wrong foot.' He seemed to struggle to find the words, Genie said nothing and he carried on, 'I had hoped to merely talk to you, and I am afraid I only angered you. I… I am sorry.'

At those last words, she looked at him with a perplexed look all over her face as her eyes bored directly into his, if he didn't know better, he would claim she was using Legilamency against him.

'You are fascinating, Professor,' she said, with a determined kind of intensity, 'If I were to know you for a hundred years, I doubt I should ever know you.'

These words hung in the air as Snape grasped around for something to say. He had never been spoken to quite like that before.

'Was it my bravado you missed, or just my engaging personality?' she said, with a small smile on her face that looked a little cheeky to his eyes.

And all at once, he relaxed. Relaxed like he had not relaxed in years, he felt his mask crack on his face and fall to pieces; he just wanted to talk, to relieve himself of some small burden, even just for a little while. Genie seemed to sense this and smiled a little wider.

'Why don't I make us some tea, and perhaps we can… compare sketching?' he asked her in a hoarse voice quite unlike his own.

With bright eyes she nodded and he set about preparing the herbal tea he had been given, oh, so many years ago now and attempted to compose himself. He had never fallen quite like this before. When he turned back, Genie had produced some sketches from her bag and was perusing them, attempting to find the best ones to show him. He set a hot mug in front of her and she curled her legs up onto the chair and spread her papers on the desk, he sat opposite her and rummaged through his draws for his own sketchpad.

It felt like they had been doing this for years, just two old friends, enjoying an evening of quiet chatter and tea. She complained that she never could get the shading on the face _just_ so whilst he admired her fluid lines that almost made the human body come to life. For an hour they compared drawings, shared techniques and admired the others picture. Genie was particularly fond of one he had done of an old willow tree and he privately thought the picture she had drawn of the Hogwarts lake and grounds was magnificent.

There were no emotional outbursts, no crying, no deep and meaningful cries for help or pity; that's simply not who they were. They had both gone through too much in life to have the energy for such things, they both valued dignity and appearance, and finally, they both felt like they could mutually respect and admire those qualities in the other.

It was ten o'clock before Snape said, 'It's past your curfew miss Kensington. I will have to escort you to Ravenclaw tower, or Filtch will moan about it for weeks if he catches you. And the man complains enough as it is.'

'It's _Genie, _Professor. And wonderful, good to know it's entirely in my interests your accompanying me.' Said Genie, with a laugh that made him grin in spite of himself.

'Well the halls are full of more dangerous things than the likes of Argus Filtch,' he said.

'Oh yeah?' she said as they walked out of the office, 'like the terrifying Professor Severus Snape you mean?'

'That bad am I?'

'Only in the way that first years only cry for a few hours before having to attend Potions.'

'Good, I'm clearly doing my job properly.'

'Professor please, it's not like you're a clown at one of those creepy circuses.'

**XxXxX**

More weeks passed, and Genie and Snape continued their reading arrangement and then sketched and talked for a time afterwards. It didn't stop Genie being an outcast and it didn't stop Snape from being nasty to the students, but it gave the other some small relief from the charade of their lives.

Christmas was approaching the castle; the usual twelve magnificent Christmas trees were brought into the Great Hall by Hagrid, snow encrusting their leaves and his beard. The holiday season also inspired more drawings by both Genie and Snape – hers being of the magnificent decorations and occasionally the more eccentric dress of the Headmaster who had taken to occasionally wearing a loop of tinsel about his neck.

This made Snape laugh and they both secretly made a vow to destroy all and any mistletoe found around the castle, 'It's like they _want_ to create awkward situations,' Genie moaned one evening, 'the girls follow the boys around and practically drool all over themselves.'

Snape shared her feelings, his own experiences with mistletoe all involved James Potter and Sirius Black strutting around, with all the women of Hogwarts practically falling over them – all save one…

Predictably, Genie was among the handful of students who opted to stay at Hogwarts over the Christmas period. Snape did not want to think about what her Christmases had been like before this, and he was determined to find a present for her. He hadn't bought anyone a present since Lily had died; but for some inexplicable reason, he just wanted to make her smile.

Christmas morning dawned and Genie woke up to a two presents and two cards laid out on the end of her bed. Momentarily she looked around at her neighbour's beds, piled high with presents and sweets and felt emptiness in her heart.

However, she pushed a dark strand of hair out of her face and reached for one of her presents. She picked it up gently in astonishment as she realised this was her first present. With shaking hands she took off the wrapping paper to discover an artfully carved box, detailed with flowers and the moon, something smaller was carved just at the bottom and let out a small giggle; it was a tiny genies lamp.

Lifting the lid off the box she found inside some beautiful oil paints, some brushes, sketching pencils and a new sketchpad. Try as she might she couldn't stop her eyes filling with tears. She reached for the card to see who it was from, but she already knew;

_Genie,_

_I thought you would enjoy this as a step up from sketching; oil paints are quite hard to use but produce a wonderful result. I hope you enjoy this Christmas, as I doubt you have ever enjoyed it before. If you wish we can have a Christmas painting session after tonight's feast._

_Severus_

Genie had not expected such kindness, even from her favourite Professor and for a moment she couldn't move. It was some time before she realized that she did have another present, this totally bewildered her as she didn't know who else to expect a present from.

It turned out to be some Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts and a packet of Cauldron Cakes. She was both pleased and very surprised; she had never had magical sweets before and was very excited. She opened the letter and read;

_Dear Miss Kensington_

_I thought you might enjoy these as your introduction to the magical world seems to have been worse than anticipated. I hope you have a very magical Christmas and a Happy New Year. I would also like to thank you; Severus is a lot more bearable in the staffroom nowadays. _

_Regards, Albus Dumbledore. _

She could only stare in wonder; had her sadness really been so obvious? Although it didn't surprise her that Dumbledore was aware of most things going on in the school. She had never had such a rich Christmas in all her life.

Her fellow students were beginning to stir, the girl in the bed next to her, Kim, who had never been nasty to her, looked over at her presents. Her forehead creased for a moment when she saw that Genie only had two.

'That's a beautiful box,' she pointed to the paint box on Genie's bed, 'who gave it to you?'

'A friend,' said Genie, a little shakily, 'a very good friend.'

**XxXxX**

_One Headlight – The Wallflowers_

**XxXxX**

**Well I think this is the quickest I've ever gotten a chapter up!  
Love all my beautiful reviewers… all 4 of you :P  
Keep it up!  
FanOfEverything100**


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